Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmuhal’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Zanmuhal’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly spherical plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit, dense and full plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; decorative-type inflorescences with ray florets that are orange yellow in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum X morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZANMUHAL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum X morifolium, commercially referred to as a Garden Mum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zanmuhal’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform spherically-shaped and freely flowering Chrysanthemum plants with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination in October, 2013 of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum x morifolium identified as code number 22.2339, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum x morifolium identified as code number 10-010408, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in October, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by vegetative terminal cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands since November, 2014. Asexual reproduction by vegetative terminal cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zanmuhal’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zanmuhal’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly spherical plant         habit; vigorous growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Decorative-type inflorescences with ray florets that are         orange yellow in color.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the female selection parent. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Under natural season conditions, plants of the new         Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of the female parent         selection.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are orange         yellow in color whereas ray florets of the female parent         selection are bronze in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the male selection parent. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Under natural season conditions, plants of the new         Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of the male parent         selection.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum do not have         disc florets whereas inflorescences of plants of the male parent         selection have disc florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Zanmucopper’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,449. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Zanmucopper’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Under natural season conditions, plants of the new         Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of ‘Zanmucopper’.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are orange         yellow in color whereas ray florets of ‘Zanmucopper’ are bronze         in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zanmuhal’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 17-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands under natural daylengths during the summer and autumn and under cultural practices generally used in commercial Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 15° C. Plants were 15 weeks from planting when the photograph was taken and the detailed description was taken on plants from 12 to 17 weeks after planting. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Zanmuhal’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number             22.2339, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number             10-010408, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six to eight days at             temperatures about 12° C. to 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 12 to 13             days at temperatures about 12° C. to 23° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically close to 164D in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial decorative-type Chrysanthemum; stems             upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly rounded             appearance to the plant; plants roughly spherical in overall             shape; very freely branching habit, about nine to ten             primary lateral branches develop, each primary lateral             branch with about ten secondary branches; dense and full             plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Internode length: About 1 cm to 2.5 cm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Aspect: About 30° to 45° from vertical. Texture and             luster: Pubescent; longitudinally ridged; matte. Color:             Close to 138B; with development, becoming closer to 199C.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 2.5 cm             to 6 cm. Width: About 1 cm to 4 cm. Shape: Elliptic to             obovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse to truncate. Margin:             Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes divergent and             relatively deep. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Pubescent; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Pubescent; matte. Venation: Pinnate. Color:             Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to NN137A; venation, close to 138D. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation,             close to 138C. Petioles: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Coarse, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper surface:             Close to 138A. Color, lower surface: Close to 138D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form;             inflorescences borne on terminals above foliar plane; ray             florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences             facing upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, pungent.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower from week 37 to week 42 in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about four weeks in an outdoor nursery;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About 800 inflorescences develop             per plant.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Shape: Rounded. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Color: Close to 147D.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence depth (height).—About 1.8 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—To date, disc floret development has not been             observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.         -   Receptacle diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Receptacle height.—About 4 mm.         -   Receptacle shape.—Domed.         -   Receptacle color.—Close to 144D.         -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About             120 to 130 ray florets arranged in about ten whorls. Length,             developing: About 1 cm. Length, developed: About 2 cm.             Width, developing: About 1 mm. Width, developed: About 5 mm             to 6 mm. Shape, developing: Narrowly elliptic. Shape,             developed: Elliptic. Apex, developing: Acute. Apex,             developed: Emarginate. Base, developing and developed:             Obtuse. Margin, developing and developed: Entire; slightly             undulate. Aspect, developing and developed: Mostly flat.             Texture and luster, developing and developed, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 175B. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 172B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 16B; color becoming closer to 163C development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 162A overlain with close to             175D; color becoming closer to 176D with development.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 18             phyllaries arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 2             mm to 3 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic.             Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; semi-glossy.             Color, upper surface: Close to 138B. Color, lower surface:             Close to 141B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 4.5 cm. Length,             third peduncle: About 8 cm. Diameter, terminal and third             peduncles: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture and luster: Pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 138C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Number of pistils per ray floret: One. Pistil length: About             2 mm. Style length: About 1.5 mm. Style color: Close to             149C. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Forked.             Stigma color: Close to 12A. Ovary color: Close to 149D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated good garden performance and will tolerate temperatures     ranging from about 4° C. to about 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmuhal’ as illustrated and described. 